Comments on: Idiocracy: The Death of Intelligent Advertising

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:45:17 +0000

I often find myself judging TV commercials on how entertaining they are. That way they are less a nuisance. However, this judgement is aimed purely at my consumption of between-programming entertainment, and has nothing to do with my informed choice to consume the products they sell.

By: bob

bob — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:25:46 +0000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Bernays

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:35:44 +0000

Wierd, goofy, awful. However, I think, though it may be a stretch, that the whole point of the commercial is that the one who got the job was the one who had the guts to stand up and say “what on earth are you doing?”

In simple terms, break through the client’s own confusion and misguided information gathering process. Tell them what they need to hear, not what they WANT to hear.

Maybe. . .

By: Workpost Foreman

Workpost Foreman — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:17:27 +0000

It seems like most advertising (a very different discipline than PR and Marketing) is now simply designed to get the attention of viewers though any means necessary. There’s so much advertising and so many mixed messages that the entire medium has been diluted to the point where almost anything -anything- that can snap the viewer out of “ad-blocking” mode is fair game. It doesn’t need to make sense. Sometimes, it doesn’t even need to be a positive message – just attention grabbing. Burger Kings ads are quite brilliant though I’m not so sure they make me want to go and eat their hamburgers. In fact, I know they don’t but they do keep the brand in the public consciousness.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:07:08 +0000

Good points on a company losing its message trying to be “hip.” Also, while the kid’s questions are goofy, I don’t know if it was a good idea to throw in the first one of “how old are you?” HR nightmare!

By: Sam Archibald

Sam Archibald — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:43:56 +0000

While you raise some interesting points, I’d argue that Burger King’s Subservient Chicken has had little to do with their success of the past few years. Advertising is only one part of the Marketing process, companies use various ways to ensure that their product or service is going to be thought of when it comes time for your purchasing decision, whether it’s a split second decision among drive-thrus or a heavily processed car purchase. Beyond that, what more can you really say about a chicken sandwhich in order to convince you to purchase it? Rational forms of argument are only one type of rhetoric that is used to appeal to us. It really depends on what product or service you are selling. Brands today have a multitude of options by which they can fight for your mind, heart and ultimately pocket share. The best know who they want to purchase their product, then work to deliver a message that is relevant to them, their brand, and the time and space under which it is received. That Deloitte ad is at times humorous and differentiating from any other auditing firm’s advertising out there. The audience they are going after are recent graduates, who will more than likely base their first career on more than a youtube video. That being said, a message like that can go a long way in creating a positive mental image of Deloitte in the mind of said graduate. One of a fun, competitive firm that understands it’s markets perception. That being said, the ad is pretty unauthentic in my opinion, and would’ve worked better without actors. Feels very much like a campaign that ran up here in Canada for Diamond Shreddies, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOuC5jjTZOI&feature=related.

By: Jurgen

Jurgen — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:03:07 +0000

At least none of the questions came from the “worst top ten interview questions list”!
See it at: http://www.businesspundit.com/the-ten-worst-job-interview-questions-ever/

I think these questions are OK, as they can help to identify the thought-process a candidate follows to answer the question. It’s about the process, not the answer. In consulting you are faced with some complex problems, often with not much time to make sense of them and there are many possible solutions. Breaking the idea down in your mind in a systematic, logical way will give you a better shot at finding a solution than just relying on your existing knowledge.

By: Matt @ SF

Matt @ SF — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:18:03 +0000

Well said. I often wonder how effective many of these commercials really are, or if they’re made just to keep a companies name at the top of the consumer’s lexicon.

Better yet, does anyone really buy light beer from Bud Lite or Miller Lite based on their constant media blitz.